(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for assembling a vehicle body. In preferred embodiments, the present invention relates to a device for suitably assembling a vehicle body that is capable of corresponding to various models of vehicles during the process of manufacturing a vehicle body.
(b) Description of the Related Art
In a vehicle manufacturing line, a vehicle is formed by assembling twenty to thirty thousand parts in various assembly lines and welding processes.
Recently, as the number of models of a vehicle in a process of manufacturing vehicle bodies has been increased according to various demands of clients, many companies have adopted a mixed product production method such that various vehicle bodies are suitably produced on the same line.
A mixed product production method may be used because the space for loading of products is not sufficient, and manufacturing cost is increased due to a reduction in specialization in the case of configuring various devices for various vehicle bodies.
The process method allows the manufacture of a vehicle body according to various demands of clients, in comparison with a process method of manufacturing one model of vehicle.
However, if various vehicles are loaded on the same production line, resulting in complication of equipment, space for the equipment needs to be increased.
Therefore, it is necessary to minimize the space for production by simplifying the equipment, and to reduce manufacturing cost.
FIG. 1 shows an exemplary production line of a circulation type using carriages for coping with the conventional mixed product production method. FIG. 2 shows an exemplary production line of a linear type using carriages for coping with the conventional mixed product production method.
The production line of the circulation type using carriages, as shown in FIG. 1, preferably includes a parts loading process P1 loading parts on a carriage along a process line, a welding process P2 performing a welding process by using an operation of a robot, and an assembling line P transporting an assembly that is completed at the welding process to unloading a an process P3.
Further, carriage return lines R, R1, R2, and R3 are suitably installed beside the assembling line P so as to return a complete carriage and transport the appropriate carriage according to a signal indicating a model of vehicle to the parts loading process P1.
The production line of the linear type using carriages, for example as shown in FIG. 2, includes parts-loaded-carriages provided therewith so that it moves reciprocally along a linear rail LR connecting a parts loading process S1 and a parts unloading process S2, a stand-by process S3 at both sides of the linear rail LR so as to prepare various kinds of vehicles, and a welding process S4 suitably performing welding process according thereto.
The parts-loaded-carriages reciprocally move along the linear rail LR, and an appropriate model according to a signal indicating a model of vehicle moves from the stand-by process S3 to the parts loading process S1.
Then, the carriage moves to the welding process S4 for being welded by a robot, and complete assembly parts are suitably transported to a transporter at the parts unloading process S2, and subsequently, the complete carriage is returned to the stand-by process S3.
However, in using the mixed product production method the jig is complicated due to a limit of the various kinds of parts for a vehicle, where many kinds of carriages according to each model are required, and so further return lines and equipment are required according to each model.
The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention and therefore it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art.